Torque brace for broom handles



March 8, 1966 wA v. HELDER, JR 3,239,280

TORQUE BRAGE FOR BROOM HANDLES Filed Oct. 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Shea?l l INVENTOR /l 14 ATTOR Y March 8, 1966 w. v. HELDER, JR 3,239,280

TORQUE BRAGE FOR BROOM HANDLES Filed oct. 22, 1963 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM V. FIELDER,JR.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent O 3,239,280 TRQUE BRACE FOR BRUIVI IIANDLES William V. Fielder, Ir., Frederick, Md., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Ox Fibre Brush Company, Inc., Frederick, Md., a corporation of Ohio Filed (Pct. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 317,995 8 Claims. (Cl. 366-26) This invention relates broadly to braces for broom handles, and more particularly to a resilient broom handle brace which rigidly secu-res the handle in set position on the broom.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel broom handle brace which is relatively simple in construction and which prevents breaking and loosening of the handle at its connection with the broom block.

Another object of the invention is to provide a broom handle brace which prevents sidewise movement of the broom handle by retention of resilient llexure of the brace.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of broom handle brace which is adaptable for use in different positions on a broom for removing breaking stresses from the handle to block connection joint.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of br-oom handle brace in which torsional forces are retained in the bracing element to rigidly secure the handle to the broom block.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of broom handle brace which is easily attachable and detachable from the broom. A

Other and further objects of the invention are set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a front perspective View of the brace of the invention connected to a broom;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a broom employing the brace of the invention, withy the brace being shown in the unclamped position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. .f2 but showing the brace in the clamped position on the handle;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the combination shown in FIG. 3, with the ends of the broom being brok-I en away;

FIG. 5 is a view similar t-o FIG. \2 but showing the brace in a reverse position on the broom;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing the brace of FIG. 5 in the clamped position;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the brace of the invention; with the brace shown in the unclamped position; and

FIG. 8 is :a View similar to FIG. 7 showing the modified brace in the clamped position.

In the accompanying drawings, whe-rein similar reference numerals represent similar component parts, the elongated handle of a broom is indicated at l which is secured in the usual manner by mean-s of a tapered threaded end or the like, into a tapered threaded socket 2 or the like, carried by the top surface of a broom block 3 which carries broom fibers 4 on the underside thereof. It has been found in practice that conventional brooms of this type, particularly in larger brooms for performing relatively heavy work and in brooms having blocks 3 of substantial lengths, for instance between two and four feet in length, the screw threaded or tapered joint handle becomes loosened at its joint 5 with the block during use; giving some side play of the handle longitudinally of the block axis which frequently results in breakage of the broom handle lat its tapered connection joint 5 since the handle is always of smaller diameter at this point and is usually more vulnerable to breakage at this point than any other part of 3239,28@ Patented Mar. 8, 1966 ICC the handle. The problem of handle breakage of this type becomes more acute with increased block lengths and it is therefore the function of the brace of the present invention to clamp the handle 1 to the block 3 firmly enough so as to prevent the handle from becoming loose at its connection 5 with the block, and to provide `firm lateral support to opposite sides of the broom handle, extending a substantial distance laterally outwardly from the handle to prevent any sidewise movement of the handle relative to the brush block.

The brace of the present invention is formed of cornparatively heavy resilient wire, for instance of the order of three-sixteenths inch diameter steel wire. The upper portion of the brace is generally U-shaped, comprising oppositely disposed arms or first portions 6 and 7, connected at one end by the laterally extending portion or bight portion 8 with the arms being spaced apart in generally parallel relation, a distance slightly greater than the diameter of 'broom handle 1. The ends or branching portions 9 and 10 of arms 6 and 7, connected oppositely to laterally extending portion 3, diverge laterally outwardly and downwardly at acute angles, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 4, with the brace portions 9 and lill forming torque bars, the operation of which is described later in the specification. The torque bar lportions 9 and 10 of the brace are preferably somewhat greater in length than the arms 6 and 7 and extend laterally outwardly a substantial distance from arms 6 and 7.

The ends of the torque bar portions 9 and 1t) are bent upwardly and inwardly at acute angles thereto to form the horizontally extending portions 11 and 12, respectively, las shown more particularly in FIGS. l and 2, with the terminating ends thereof extending downwardly generally at right angles thereto to form the block-engaging lingers 13 and 14. Thus the brace portions 6, 7 and `8 generally form a U-shape with the ends 9 and It) diverging outwardly in an open V configuration.

A downwardly curved yoke or connecting member 15 is rigidly secured between arms 6 and 7 in a laterally disposed stationary position by means o'f loop portions on opposite ends of the yoke surrounding and rigidly engaging arms 6 and 7. Yoke 15 comprises the stationary portion of a clamping device for clamping the brace to the handle I, `while movable yoke 16, curved upwardly on the opposite side of arms 6 and 7 from stationary yoke 15, forms the movable member of the clamping device. The opposite ends of movable yoke 16 are looped around arms 6 and 7, respectively, in sliding engagement therewith to allow movable yoke 16 to slide along arms 6 and 7 between the connection of :stationary yoke 15 to the `arms and laterally extending portion 3. As shown more particularly in the preferred form of the invention in FIGS. 2 `and 3, movable yoke 16 extends upwardly of arms 6 and 7 a substantially greater distance than stationary yoke 15 extends below the arms, and both yokes are curved generally to the diameter of handle 1.

With particular reference to FIG. 2 wherein the resilient brace is shown unclamped from the broom structure, to install the brace on the broom in the preferred arrangement, the broom handle 1 is inserted between the yokes 15 and 16 and the brace lowered to the block where the block-engaging fingers 13 and 14 are inserted in a pair of holes in the top surface of the brush block 3 positioned laterally outwardly a substantial distance on opposite sides of handle joint 5. In lieu of this operation with the handle detached from the brush block 3 the iingers 13 and 14 can be inserted into the pair of holes on the top surface of the block and then the handle 1 can be inserted between yokes 15 and 16 and screwed into the threaded socket 2. Whichever mode of assembly is utilized the brace is thus disposed on the broom in the unclamped position as shown in FIG. 2. In this position it will be noted that stationary yoke 15 engages the undersurface of broom handle 1 and arms 6 and 7 are disposed on opposite sides of the handle with the laterally extending connecting portion 8 disposed beneath the underside of the handle.

Laterally extending portion 8 of the brace is then moved upwardly toward the undersurface of broom handle 1 to a position as shown in FIG, 3, causing arms 6 and 7 to be pivoted about stationary yoke 15, which engages the underside of handle 1, and then movable yoke 16, by sliding motion, is moved along arms 6 and 7 from its position adjacent stationary yoke 15 to a position adjacent laterally extending portion 8 as shown in FIG. 3 with the top portion of yoke 16 engaging the upper surface of broom handle 1. The block-engaging fingers 13 and 14 on the open end of the brace firmly grip the block and cannot relative to the block so that when arms 6 and 7 are pivoted about stationary yoke 15, the pivoting motion produces a torsion moment in the torque bar portions 9 and 10 and these bars are actually retained in their torqued position by means of yokes and 16. When the torque is applied to the bars they are bowed downwardly somewhat as shown in FIG. 3 and the flexure and torsion retained in these bars clamps stationary yoke 15 and movable yoke 16 firmly to the under and upper surfaces respectively of broom handle 1. The torque bars through the forwardly extending horizontal portions 11 and 12 transmit a turning moment, exerted in a clockwise direction in the vertical plane, as indicated in FIG. 3 at 17, to the engaging fingers 13 and 14 which tends to tighten the handle joint 5, and since the block resists this turning moment it is transferred to the surfaces of the clamping device, namely, yokes 15 and 16, to cause the handle to be firmly retained between the yokes. The firm engagement of the handle thus produced has been found to be greater than the working forces which normally loosen the handle in the broom block and thereby prevents the handle from becoming unscrewed from the block.

Any sidewise motion to the broom handle 1 is transferred through the yokes 15 and 16 to the torque bar portions 9 and 10 and thence to the block 3 through the horizontally extending portions 11 and 12 and fingers 13 and 14, a substantial distance laterally outwardly on opposite sides of the broom handle 1 to relieve the joint 5 from all forces which would cause breaking of the handle at this joint.

Conversely, any forces exerted on the end of a broom block by a load being pushed by the broom are transferred to the handle through the torque bar portions 9 and 10 rather than only being transferred to the handle through the joint 5. With this construction the forces which normally cause handle breakage are transferred to the handle where its diameter is stouter and in addition the construction in effect more than doubles the area of force-transfer to the handle, and vice versa.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the resilient brace of the invention can also be used in a reverse position on the broom handle 1, but when used in this position the blockengaging fingers 13 and 14 in lieu of being inserted in the pair of holes along the center axis of the top surface of the block 3 are instead inserted in a pair of holes in the side vertical surface 18 of the block. The holes in the side surface 18 are spaced a substantial distance on opposite sides of the handle joint 5 in the same manner as the holes on the top surface of the block in the preferred arrangement of the brace as shown in FIGS. l-4. In the preferred arrangement the holes in the top surface of the block are used by the brace no matter which of the two tapered threaded sockets 2 is engaged by the handle 1. Thus the holes in the top surface serve the handle connection in either of the two sockets 2 normally provided in the broom block. When the brace is used in the reversed portion as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is necessary to provide a pair of spaced holes in each of the side surfaces 18 of the block 3, that is, each of the tapered sockets 2 on opposite sides of the block is provided with its individual pair of holes in the adjacent side surface for receiving the fingers of the brace.

In the modified arrangement stationary yoke 15 engages the upper surface of the broom handle and laterally extending portion 3 is positioned above the broom handle while the movable yoke 16 extends beneath the undersurface of the broom handle and engages the undersurface thereof in the clamped position as shown in FIG. 1 as laterally extending portion 8 is drawn downwardly toward the upper surface of the broom handle and movable yoke 16 is slidingly moved along arms 6 and 7, toward portion 8, to clamp the torque bar portions 9 and 10 in the torqued state in the same manner as described in connection with the preferred arrangement of the invention. As the arms and stationary yoke 15 are pivoted about the broom handle surface to torque the brace portions 9 and 10, a turning moment 17', in the counterclockwise direction, is developed at the engaging fingers 13 and 14, and since the block engaging the fingers tends to resist the turning moment, its force is transferred back along the resilient wire brace member to exert firm clamping pressure on the surface of the broom handle through yokes 15 and 16 in the same manner as previously described. The brace functions in substantially the same manner in the inverted position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 as it does in the preferred position as shown in FIGS. l4, and side pressures are transferred from the handle to the block, and vice versa through the brace in the same manner in both positions of the brace.

A modified form of the brace of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein the brace is shown mounted in the inverted position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The modified brace of FIGS. 7 and 8 performs in substantially the same manner as the brace disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6, except with regard to the manner in which the open end of the brace engages the broom block 3. In this form of the invention horizontally extending portions 13 are connected to the ends of brace portions 11 and 12, generally at right angles thereto in substantially the same manner as block-engaging fingers 13 and 14 in the prior forms of the invention, with the terminating ends of horizontally extending portions 13 turned upwardly generally at right angles thereto and generally parallel with the brace portions 11 and 12 to form block-engaging hooks 19 on the ends of the brace.

The broom fibers 4 according to normal brush manufacturing techniques are made up of a plurality of tufts of fibers anchored in a plurality of upwardly extending holes in the bottom surface of the broom block 3. To provide engaging holes for the hooks 19 of the resilient brace a pair of fiber tufts adjacent the lower edges of the broom block, and positioned a substantial distance on opposite sides of the handle joint 5, are removed from their respective anchor holes along opposite side edges of the broom to provide the necessary braceengaging holes for both handle connecting sockets 2 without the necessity of drilling additional holes in the block as required in the previous forms of the invention. The hook portions 19 of the brace are then inserted into the holes from which the fiber tufts are removed so that when the brace is clamped into position on the handle 1 to retain the torque bar portions 9 and 10 in a torqued state, the brace exerts a; counterclockwise turning moment 17 to the broom block through the hooks 19 in substantially the same manner as described in connection with the prior disclosed forms` of the invention to prevent the handle from becoming; loosened at its joint 5 with the block.

Thus the resilient brace of the invention as disclosed' herein in one construction can be used in a preferred ar rangement to engage the upper surface of the broom block or can be used in an inverted arrangement to engage the side surface of the broom block. By forming hooks on the end of the brace according to a modified construction the brace engages existing holes in the bottom surface of the broom block to eliminate the necessity for performing additional work upon the block to accommodate the brace. The efliciency of the brace has been found to be substantially the same in all of the arrangements disclosed and each of the arrangements provides substantially the same degree of lateral support for the broom handle and the same degree of clamping force which prevents rotation of the handle relative to the broom block.

The braces of the invention have been constructed and tested and have been found superior to other known braces in the art. While the invention has been described in certain preferred embodiments it is realized that modifications may be made, and it is to be understood that no limitations upon the invention are intended other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. In combination with a broom block and a handle having an end connected in the broom block, a unitary handle brace of spring material comprising first portions extending longitudinally of the broom handle and terminating in an integral bight portion, branching portions connected for movement to the first portions and extending laterally outwardly a substantial distance on opposite sides of the handle and having free ends secured to a portion of the broom block, a plane extending longitudinally of the broom block including at least one of said portions being disposed at an angle to a plane extending longitudinally of the broom block and along the handle axis, the bight portion of said first portions being disposed on one side of the handle and outwardly spaced therefrom, a connecting member extending laterally between and engaging said first portions adjacent the connection of said first portions and said branching portions and spaced longitudinally from said bight portion and pivotally engaging the handle on the side on which said bight portion is disposed, and a movable member connected between and engaging said first portions and slidable thereon between said connecting member and said bight portion and extending around and slidably engaging the sides of the handle opposite from that engaged by said connecting member, whereby said first portions and bight portion are pivoted toward the handle about the connecting member as a fulcrum by said movable member as said movable member is moved outwardly on said first portions and the handle toward said bight portion, and said branching portions are resiliently stressed and supported in the stressed state by said connecting member and said movable member to clamp the brace to the broom.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1l in which said first portions and said branching portions are both disposed at angles to the handle axis.

3. The combination as set forth in claim l in which said connecting member and said movable member are arcuate in shape and extend on opposite sides of said first portions, with one of said members extending a greater distance on one side than the other of said members extends on the opposite side of said first portions.

4. A resilient brace for broom handles as set forth in claim 1 in which said connecting member is adapted to engage the upper surface of a broom handle, and said movable member is connected to slide outwardly on said rst portions away from said connecting member and engage the undersurface of the broom handle to thereby pivot said first portions toward the upper surface of the broom handle about said connecting member and torque said branching portions.

5. In combination with a broom block and a handle having an end connected in the broom block, a unitary handle brace of spring material comprising first portions extending longitudinally of the broom handle and terminating in an integral bight portion, branching portions connected for movement to the first portions and extending laterally outwardly a substantial distance on opposite sides of the handle and having free ends secured to the top portion of the broom block, a plane extending longitudinally of the broom block including at least one of said portions being disposed at an angle to a plane extending longitudinally of the broom block and along the handle axis, the bight portion of said first portions being disposed beneath the handle and outwardly spaced therefrom, a connecting member extending laterally between and engaging said first portions adjacent the connection of said first portions and said branching portions and spaced longitudinally from said bight portion and pivotally engaging the lower surface of the handle, and a movable member connected between and engaging said first portions and slidable thereon between said connecting member and said bight portion and extending around and slidably engaging the upper surface of the handle, whereby said first portions and bight portion are pivoted toward the lower surface of the handle about the connecting member as a fulcrum by said movable member as said movable member is moved outwardly on said first portions and the handle toward said bight portion, and said branching portions Iare resiliently torqued and supported in the torqued state by said connecting member and said movable member to clamp the brace to the broom.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said branching portions are downwardly offset at angles from said first portions,

7. The combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said free ends on said branching portions are downwardly turned gripping members secured in the broom block.

d. The unitary handle brace as set forth in claim 5 in which said connecting member is a downwardly curved yoke and said movable member is an upwardly curved yoke.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,576 6/1897 Losee 15-146 713,549 11/1902 McClintock 15--146 X 7515,985 3/1904 Zacesk 15--146 1,124,283 1/1915 Brophy 306-30 X 1,541,710 6/1925 Hill 306-27 X 1,764,095 6/ 1930 Cave 306-26 FOREIGN PATENTS 713,526 8/1954 Great Britain.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BROOM BLOCK AND A HANDLE HAVING AN END CONNECTED IN THE BROOM BLOCK, A UNITARY HANDLE BRACE OF SPRING MATERIAL COMPRISING FIRST PORTIONS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BROOM HANDLE AND TERMINATING IN AN INTEGRAL BIGHT PORTION, BRANCHING PORTIONS CONNECTED FOR MOVEMENT TO THE FIRST PORTIONS AND EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HANDLE AND HAVING FREE ENDS SECURED TO A PORTION OF THE BROOM BLOCK, A PLANE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BROOM BLOCK INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO A PLANE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BROOM BLOCK AND ALONG THE HANDLE AXIS, THE BIGHT PORTION OF SAID FIRST PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF THE HANDLE AND OUTWARDLY SPACED THEREFROM, A CONNECTING MEMBER EXTENDING LATERALLY BETWEEN AND ENGAGING SAID FIRST PORTIONS ADJACENT THE CONNECTION OF SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND SAID BRANCHING PORTIONS AND SPACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM SAID BIGHT PORTION AND PIVOTALLY ENGAGING THE HANDLE ON THE SIDE ON WHICH SAID BIGHT PORTION IS DISPOSED, AND A MOVABLE MEMBER CONNECTED BETWEEN AND ENGAGING SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND SLIDABLE THEREON BETWEEN SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND SAID BIGHT PORTION AND EXTENDING AROUND AND SLIDABLY ENGAGING THE SIDES OF THE HANDLE OPPOSITE FROM THAT ENGAGED BY SAID CONNECTING MEMBER, WHEREBY SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND BIGHT PORTION ARE PIVOTED TOWARD THE HANDLE ABOUT THE CONNECTING MEMBER AS A FULCRUM BY SAID MOVABLE MEMBER AS SAID MOVABLE MEMBER IS MOVED OUTWARDLY ON SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND THE HANDLE TOWARD SAID BIGHT PORTION, AND SAID BRANCHING PORTIONS ARE RESILIENTLY STRESSED AND SUPPORTED IN THE STRESSED STATE BY SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND SAID MOVABLE MEMBER TO CLAMP THE BRACE TO THE BROOM. 